BBC Worldwide has launched its BBC Entertainment channel for the Indian audience. Though most of the content of the channel will remain international, it has been customised to suit the Indian viewers’ taste. The refreshed BBC Entertainment channel is now available on cable and some DTH platforms in India, covering nearly 11 million households.

In a prepared statement, Mark Whitehead, Senior VP and General Manager, BBC Worldwide Channels Asia, commented, “The Indian pay TV market possesses significant scale and its future potential for advertising is vast. India has been identified as a key market for the growth of our Asian business and we have been working to create a unique channel destination for local viewers. The all new BBC Entertainment channel has been specifically designed for the market after much local research and we are incredibly excited about its prospects.”

Deepak Shourie, Director for South Asia, BBC Worldwide Channels, added, “India, with its large English speaking population, high level of BBC brand recognition and strong affinity with the UK, is a significant market for us. The refreshed channel, with its unique, award winning and top rated programmes, targets upscale English speaking viewers and will deliver some much desired audience segments to advertisers in India.”

Shourie also noted that channel had already got eight advertisers. “Indian viewers already get India-centric content and research shows that viewers are interested in watching more international content,” added Shourie, denying the possibility of India centric content in near future.

To support this launch, a massive campaign is already started off on all media platforms.